City history of Nikolaev (Part I)

About the biography of Ukrainian cities are in many apects
similar to destinies of people. Nikolayev
in the beginning has received a trade, and then a name and city status. Nikolaev
lives and works on the fine fertile earth of the south of Ukraine. Here the hot
steppe meets the sea. The Prichernomorsky
steppe remembers kimmerian horsemen and bearded Scythians. To this day
rough short summer downpours wash away splinters of the Greek amphoras, the
turned black coins of various times and the states, clay Turkish and Cossack
tubes from the local fertile earth. From first centuries of our era these
places gradually occupied slavic tribes, and from end Х of century territory where present Nikolayev
is located, was a part of the Kievan Rus.

On estuary Dnepro-Bugsky the trading way
"from the Varangian in Greeks" lay, went loaded honey, wax, amber,
castle furs русичей to the distant
countries. Many strangers encroached on pribugskiy edge. More than two
centuries primordially slavic earths were under double oppression - Tatars and
Mongols. And here, on southern territory, there were on protection of the
native earth brave knights of freedom - the Zaporozhye Cossacks, with a
breast having covered Ukraine
from the Turkish and Tatar weapon. Within long years the Russian state
conducted a dragged-out war with Turkey
and its vassals for the exit right to Black sea.
In 1787 after a victory in Crimea, having
broken the enemy beyond Bug the prince G.A.Potemkin has besieged a fortress Ochakov.
The siege was tightened, for a victory the modern marine sea fleet surpassing
in the power the Turkish was necessary. One Kherson
shipyard not in a condition was to consult with a strategic problem on the
accelerated equipment of fleet. Then under G.A.Potemkina's instructions its
right hand the foreman M.L.Faleev has found a place for new shipyard
at a river Ingul mouth. Having examined G.A.Potemkin's
this place was delighted, it had a creation project here grandiose admiralty
with workshops, factories and factories - cradles of the future Russian Black
Sea fleet. So till a birth our city has received a trade. On command of the
prince of G.A.Potemkina on the chosen place in 1788 the new shipyard which in
the beginning was called differently also has been put: Ingulsky, Ust-Ingul,
Shipyard on Ingul.

Round shipyard the small town, while the anonymous
quickly grew. The name to settlement - Nikolaev - has been given G.A.Potemkinym on
August, 27th, 1789 in
memory of a capture by Russian armies of a Turkish fortress Ochakov in day of a
Christian holiday of Saint Nikolay Mirlikijskiy- the patron of seamen on
December, 6th 1788 г,
and in October, 1790 the statement of Nikolaev as cities Russian government has
taken place. To tell the truth, for this moment in a newborn city under
documents was only 26 court yard and inhabitants: 105 men and 42 women. However
in 2 years in 1792 in
a city already there was 1 church, 100 barracks, 13 shops, 158 stone houses, 61
dugout, 209 mud huts, 149 benches and 1566 inhabitants and 1734 time workers.
The first ship - a 44-gun frigate "Sacred Nikolay" has been put on
shipyard on January, 5th 1790г. Also it is floated on August, 25th the same
year. The young shipyard worked, dews and the new city was under construction. To the West
from shipyard civil settlements, to the east - military men grew. From first
years of the existence the city was built up according to plan. Originally over
these works engineer I.I.Knjazev supervised, but already in the beginning of
1790 known Russian architect I.E.Starovym had been made a city general layout.
It also had been developed projects of some administrative, cult, palace and
trading buildings. Today's equal as a street arrow, accurate squares of
quarters in old city centre - an embodiment of that ancient plan. In November,
1791 on shipyard have put the largest on the Black Sea fleet the 90-gun ship
"Sacred Pavel", floated and August, 1794" Sacred Pavel "as
the best ship of fleet became a flagship of admiral F.F.Ushakov. The glorified
admiral held on it the flag throughout all Mediterranean company of 1798-1802.